A HEARTS and minds campaign to rally public support behind the #300 million Sports Village and multi-purpose stadium on a 59-acre site in Saltley was launched today by city Labour councillors.

A HEARTS and minds campaign to rally public support behind the #300 million Sports Village and multi-purpose stadium on a 59-acre site in Saltley was launched today by city Labour councillors.

The scheme, put forward by Birmingham City FC and underpinned by a Las Vegas style super casino, is the centrepiece of a shopping list of projects mapping Birmingham's development over the next ten years.

Party bosses believe winning the bid for a super-casino over leading rivals Blackpool and Glasgow could be the springboard for a successful bid to not only bring some Olympic Games events in Birmingham in 2012, but also to host the Commonwealth Games.

Labour MPs and councillors were today handing out copies of their vision of the future to city-centre shoppers to start a three-month "big conversation" consultation exercise.

"Cities such as Bristol, Leeds, and Manchester are now fast overtaking Birmingham in regeneration and growth," explained deputy Labour leader Coun Ian Ward.

"We need to move forward with a vision for the future development of Birmingham instead of being bogged down by political dithering over the Central Library and a city centre Metro."

The Tory/Lib-Dem run city council has yet to decide which bid to back but Labour councillors believe opposition to the Sports Village complex underpinned by casino cash is melting away, even among Muslims opposed on religious grounds.

One opinion poll in Saltley recorded 84 per cent support for the Birmingham City project.

Government advisers have briefed Coun Ward that the first super-casino licence will only be granted for a scheme which will lead to the total transformation of a run-down area - a qualification which would seem to rule out any bid from the NEC.

"There is only going to be one initial licence and it must have public support," Coun Ward added.

"This will revive a derelict site and it won't cost the Government a penny."